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June. 2014 “Published Monthly for SEAGO Member Entities, our Strategic Partners & everyone interested in Southeastern Arizona” Vol. 4, No. 6
GROWING ARIZONA: A borderless solution
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The SEAGO region is fortunate to count several economic engines that generate income and create jobs. Starting in Nogales, there is the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas, the major importer of produce from Mexico. Of course most all international commerce enters Arizona at the Port of Entry in Nogales.
Annie Lennox wrote a hauntingly familiar song that captures the imagination of young and old alike and titled the piece “Why?” The numerous metaphors contained in the lyrics ooze honey and milk, tempered with bitter lemon. Such also describes many of the stories in this months’ SEAGO Turning Point Monthly Newsletter~ lots of honey, but there is some lemon juice.
In Cochise County, Fort Huachuca is the biggest employer and most valuable contributor in terms of jobs and overall income, but U.S. Customs and Border Protection installations in Willcox, Douglas and Bisbee represent multimillion dollar investments in physical assets plus hundreds of jobs.
employees who can drive trucks, weld, fill jobs with contractors, work in concentrators, crushers and milling operations. One solution? Put employers needing employees with certain skills together with unemployed employees that hold certifications and skills needed elsewhere. And who better to facilitate something like than the
While in Graham and Greenlee counties mining takes center stage, more so in Greenlee, because Graham County is home to several prisons and a jail that create lots of work as well as good incomes. Our region has railroads, Amtrak service, bus lines, commuter buses, multiple airports, three international ports of entry; two Foreign Trade Zones, multiple state highways and a large section of Interstate 10 rolls through our region as well. So why do we have high rates of unemployment? Why are we losing jobs? And, what is being done to expand the industries we have while attracting new industries? The old adage we suffer from “paralysis by analysis” comes to mind. High unemployment rates often occur when qualified employees are unaware their skills are needed by employers away from their hometown. Take Deming and Lordsburg, N. M., where double digit unemployment is hurting the local economy — but just across the border mining operations in Morenci are constantly in need of
Arizona Workforce Connection and their counterparts The New Mexico Workforce Connection? By SEAGO partnering with the SWNMCOG (Southwestern New Mexico Council of Governments, headquartered in Silver City) introductions, ideas and solutions resulted in two career fairs, a housing fair and an opportunity summit, all attend-
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From describing Borderless Solutions to attracting new employers, new businesses, and new industries on page 1 to what we can do with a Promise Zone designation and better grant funding chances under a myriad of different federal budget pools (see page 2). The Port of the Future is here now – the new $244M expansion of the Nogales Port of Mariposa on page 3. On page 5 read about the new Department of Labor Apprenticeship Initiative. A showcase of several grant opportunities are outlined on page 6. News from Benson, the Pride Society of Duncan and the Sierra Vista Chamber of Commerce Leadership program fill out page 7, and - fun fact – 8 Man football is featured on page 8. Though SEAGO has been ‘under siege’ in the press lately, but remember the words of Teddy Roosevelt –“ In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.” SEAGO often does the right thing only to find ourselves maligned, we accept that result because for us doing nothing is not an option. We are here to serve, we do help, we do accomplish and because we do not seek awards or seek the spotlight we are an ‘easy target’ – or as Ben Franklin once explained “Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain — and most do.” Get the facts about what SEAGO does throughout our four-county region — call us at 520-432-5301 or visit www.seago.org.
Coming to SEAGO: How Promise Zones Can Help A child’s zip code should not determine her destiny, but a growing body of research reveals that the community she grows up in impacts her educational, health, and economic outcomes. From urban centers to rural and tribal communities, areas of concentrated poverty face inferior housing, failing schools, crime, and few employment opportunities.
Earlier this year, the Obama administration laid out an initiative to designate a number of high-poverty communities as Promise Zones, where the federal government will partner with and invest in communities to create jobs, leverage private investment, increase economic activity, expand educational opportunities, and improve public safety. Currently, the draft
second round application is open for public comment. At this event we will release a report that provides an overview of the federal government’s role in place-based initiatives, initial observations from the launch of Promise Zones, and recommendations for strengthening the effort moving forward.
cational opportunities, reducing serious and violent crime, leveraging private capital, and assisting local leaders in navigating federal programs and cutting through red tape.
the Federal government to partner with local leaders who are addressing multiple community revitalization challenges in a collaborative way and have demonstrated a commitment to results. Specifically, Federal staff will be stationed in each designated community to help navigate the array of Federal assistance which Promise Zones can access, subject to the availability of appropriations and Federal agency rules and
More about Promise Zones By Emily Gojkovich
The Promise Zones initiative is a joint application from USDA, HUD, Department of Justice, and Department of Education. If designated a “Promise Zone” we would have preferential points for certain grant applications from these agencies. (Click here to see listing of funding agencies.) The goal of the Promise Zones initiative is to revitalize high-poverty communities across the country by creating jobs, increasing economic activity, improving edu-
Benefits The Promise Zone designation enables
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Building synergies two by two By A’kos Kovach
“Regionalism” is not just a catch phrase to SEAGO. The meaning of regionalism burrows deep into the fabric of our four counties and well beyond. The SEAGO region, as an example, is not homogenous, in fact it varies widely from agrarian interests to mining, from cattle operations to military installations.
Sure, there are times when discretion dictates circumspection, but most of the time it is far more beneficial to include others in the dialogue – thus ferreting out carpet baggers or those only seeking to make a fast buck versus those that want to build long term relationships and develop sustainable solutions for local and regional needs.
But one thing is certain - our sustenance, business leads, and attracting new opportunities that produce results are not accomplished in secret meetings - they are shared far and wide with a large network of stakeholders who periodically come together to celebrate success and share new ways of doing more with less.
Such is the case with the twin Tourism Councils found in Cochise and Greenlee counties. By working cooperatively new ways of attracting visitors and keeping them in the area for a longer stay is much more appealing to the tourist and to tourism professionals when there is collaboration between cities and counties. By expanding
Jay Williams Confirmed as U.S Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development The U.S. Senate voted today to confirm Jay Williams as Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. As head of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA), Jay will be responsible for
fulfilling the agency’s mission of leading the federal economic development agenda by promoting innovation and competitiveness, preparing American regions for growth & success in the worldwide econ-
our combined database on trails, historic sites to visit, tucked-away vistas and cultural treasures makes for better understanding and more tourism related revenues. But Tourism is just one piece of the larger puzzle. Regional meetings, summits, workshops and events attract large Arizona metro and out-of-state investors. As each meeting grows in size, so does the number of investment clutches, realty groups, hoteliers, builders and the like. To learn more about SEAGO programs and opportunities throughout the SEAGO four county region email: economicdevlopment@seago.org or call 520-432-2622 x 210
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The Port of the Future is Here NOW in Nogales, AZ Greater Nogales Santa Cruz County Port Authority Spearheads Mariposa Port’s $244 M Expansion From PRWeb.com
“Bridging the Border” Lecture & Education Series Launch Party
The Border Community Alliance (BCA) and its Mexican partner foundation FESAC will host a launch party for the “Bridging the Border” Lecture and Education series on June 12, 2014 from 5:30-8:30pm in the Courtyard at the Tubac Market, located at 10 Avenida Goya, Plaza de Anza, Tubac, Arizona, 85646. At 6:30pm, there will be a short presentation by BCA/FESAC representatives on the exciting programs planned for the year ahead, special thank you’s to our founding members, and an introduction of the Border Community Alliance’s new membership program. From 7-7:45pm, Natalia Serna and her band will perform haunting ballads written and inspired by her experiences in the borderlands and working in immigrant shelters in Nogales, Sonora. Please celebrate with us and support the groundbreaking collaborative work of BCA/FESAC. The suggested donation for this event is $25 per person. RSVP to scastro@bordercommunityalliance.com Read more ...
is issued at the beginning of each month by the SouthEastern Arizona Governments Organization Economic Development District. 1403 W. Highway 92, Bisbee, AZ 85603 (520) 432-2622, ext. 210 To subscribe, email: akovach@seago.org A’kos Kovach, publisher and editor Margaret Dillard, copy/graphics editor
The Port of the Future is here NOW in Nogales. The $244M expansion and modernization of the Mariposa Land Port of Entry is nearing 100% completion. The physical improvements at the Mariposa Port are state-of-the-art and have made this the most modern and efficient port of entry on the U.S. Mexico border. The formal, ceremonial opening of the completed port will be later this year, but the expanded facility is already yielding significant benefits. Tireless efforts of the Greater Nogales Santa Cruz County Port Authority (GNSCCPA) in partnership its member organizations has brought this amazing asset to fruition n the Ambos/Nogales region. The new port will combine with other assets such as Foreign Trade Zone No. 60, whose Grantee is the Nogales Santa Cruz County Economic Development Foundation (NSCCEDF), to provide critical support for the growth of bi-national trade through Nogales. Everything in the port is designed to in-
crease the speed and accuracy of processing and to minimize delays at this, the fourthbusiest land port of entry into the United States. The Mariposa Port will have the shortest wait times on the U.S.-Mexico border. Instead of the seven-hour wait times of past years, Mariposa wait times have dropped to around one hour. The new and improved Mariposa Port will also have additional staff. Of the 2,000 new Customs officers authorized nationwide in the most recent federal budget, 170 of those officers have been allotted to Arizona with 120 of those officers destined for Nogales. State-of the art infrastructure and more personnel mean cost savings and decreased expenses. Efficiencies in moving trucks across the border result in savings in fuel, product quality and time. Nogales is the best location for just-in-time delivery for Mexico’s West Coast supply chain. Nogales is the only place where the U.S. I-10/ I-19 Click here to read more ...
Off the Beaten Path: Southeast Arizona
By Josephine Matyas & Craig Jones | www.everythingzoomer.com
FOR ASTRONOMER CRAIG NANCE, an average workday might include a 90-minute drive to the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) atop the Pinaleno Mountains of southeast Arizona. “The skies above Mt. Graham are among the most clear and dark in North America,” explained the director of the telescope array on the 3,220-metre mountain. “You can see it from anywhere around here – it looks like a giant sugar cube.” Twice a week, observatory docents lead tours to the world’s largest, 16-storey optical
Items for publication are welcomed from SEAGO member entities and strategic partners. Copy must be submitted at least 7 business days prior to the end of each month. The Turning Point Monthly June 2014, page 3
telescope. Visitors – from all points on the astronomy geek continuum – can get a quick schooling at Discovery Park, the observatory’s base level educational centre in Safford. In astronomy it’s all about high, dark and accessible – but even if you can’t make it to the top you can immerse yourself in Copernicus, Galileo and Einstein without the daylong, ear-popping trek. Click here to read more and view videos
Regional Calendar of Events June 10 - Franklin Covey: Disciplines of Execution: A Cochise College SBDC Event. 8:30 am to Noon, Room 702 on the Sierra Vista Campus. Fee is $200 per person Registration deadline is 6/5/14. Register Now! Contact: Rachel Norton at 520-515-5478 or nortonr@cochise.edu. June 12 - “Bridging the Border” Lecture and Educatio Series Launch Party. 5:30 to 8:30 pm Courtyard at the Tubac Market t, located at 10 Avenida Goya, Plaza de Anza, Tubac, Arizona, 85646. Please celebrate with us and support the groundbreaking collaborative work of BCA/FESAC. The suggested donation for this event is $25 per person. Your RSVP to scastro@bordercommunityalliance.com is appreciated. Tickets are also available for purchase at the door or by purchasing online at www.bordercommunityalliance.com. June 13 - Mesquite-New Agricultural Traditions for an Ancient Food All=Day Workshop. 8:30 am to 4:00 pm Cochise College Benson Center, 1025 Highway 90, Benson. Registrtion $30 To register online, go to http://bajaaz.org/calendar/mesquiteworkshop/ Questions, call 520 331-9821. Read more: June 16 - “The Nuts and Bolts of Designing a Regional Plan” webinar -Join the NADO Research Foundation on June 16 from 2 – 3:15 p.m. ET for a webinar to hear from three executive directors whose organizations have published their final regional plans as part of the HUD Sustainable Communities Initiative. Click here to register
TOMBSTONE EVENTS Salute to the Buffalo Soldiers Days June 28-29 -A celebration to salute the Buffalo Soldiers sponsored by the Wild West Detachment Marine Corps League and the Merchants of the City of Tombstone. Celebration includes street entertainment, a parade, and many other events to be announced starting at 10:00 AM each day and conclude at approximately 4:00 PM.
June 17 - “Strengthening Regional Economic Resilience through Business Continuity Planning.” Gail Moraton, Business Resiliency Manager at the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS), will provide an overview of business continuity planning, discuss how RDOs and local leaders can support it in their regions, and share free tools available from IBHS. 2 - 3:15 p.m. ET. Click here to register June 18 - Apache Independence Day Celebration. Bob Key Rodeo Arena within the Peridot District of the San Carlos Apache Reservation. For more information contact the San Carlos Apache Tribal Administration Office at 928-475-2361. Read More ... June 25 - Greenlee County Chamber Mixer, 6:00 pm Greenlee County Historical Society Museum, 299 Chase Creek, Clifton June 25 -How to Create a Facebook Business Page Class AND Advertising Using Facebook Class. Call Cochise SBDC at (520) 515-5478 to register. June 27 - Benson’s Transportation Past, Present and Future. 10:00 am The Benson Visitor Center will be putting on a dedication to celebrate the completion of our historic railroad logos that were paid for by a grant from Union Pacific Railroad.
Should your municipality acquire a .Gov Domain? There is an effort to encourage municipalities to change their online presence from the typical .com or .net online domain extension to .gov. While there are some additional costs involved, the benefits make it worthwhile. Note that registration in the dot-gov domain is available to official governmental organizations in the US including Federal, State, and local governments, and Native Sovereign Nations. Here are several reasons you may want to consider making the move this year: 1. The .GOV URL is reserved for qualifying organizations. Registration in the dot-gov domain is available to official governmental organizations in the United States including Federal, State, and local governments, and Native Sovereign Nations. 2. These sites are considered credible and trustworthy. Part of search engine optimization rank is based on credibility, making your site easier to find on the web. 3. Some agencies are reluctant to engage with organizations that do not have the .GOV extension because of security concerns. The process consists of four parts: 1. Complete the application process
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GREENLEE COUNTY EVENTS
June 4th-Immersion Training at Center for Academic Success (CAS) School, 900 Carmelita Dr, Sierra Vista; 11am-1pm or 2pm-4pm. Training will provide a perspective on what it is like to be a client in the One Stop. Email: ahernandez@cpiccas.org or (520) 236-2844 June 12th-Techniques for Success in the Workplace from 12pm-1pm at the Elsie S. Hogan Community Library, 100 N. Curtis Ave, Willcox; class is open to currently employed people; please RSVP with the Library June 18th-Mini Job Fair, Arizona Workforce Connection, 551 N G Ave, Douglas
The Turning Point Monthly, June 2014, page 4
JUNE 25 - Chamber Mixer, 6:00 pm, Greenlee Co. Historical Society Museum. JULY 2014 7/12 Jr. Rodeo @ Duncan Fairgrounds, enter 4-4:30. Begins at 5 p.m. 7/19 Greenlee Co. Mud Drag Series AUGUST 2014 8/16 Jr. Rodeo @ Duncan Fairgrounds, enter 4-4:30. Begins at 5 p.m. SEPT 2014 9/19 Jr. Rodeo @ Duncan Fairgrounds, Finals 9/20 and 9/21 Greenlee Co. Mud Drag Series, Powder Puff, Grudge Match 9/18-9/21/14 Greenlee County Fair NOV 2014 juried Art Show and Wine Festival @ Galleria Coronado, 253 Chase Creek Street, Chase Creek, Clifton, Saturday, November 1-2, 2014, Noon to 6 p.m.
DOL Announces $100 Million Apprenticeship Initiative
June 10 - 4 - Franklin Covey: Disciplines of Execution: A Cochise College SBDC Event. 8:30 am to Noon, Room 702 on the Sierra Vista Campus.You will significantly increase your ability to execute your teams’ most wildly important goals. The facilitator, Mark Schmitt-Director of the Cochise College Small Business Development Center, will visit your business for a follow-up meeting with your employees to roll-out this program. Fee to attend this workshop is $200 per person and is intended for either the owner and/or the manager of the
business. Fee includes all class materials and continental breakfast. Seating is extremely limited and you MUST register to attend. Registration deadline is 6/5/14. Please click on the link below to RSVP. Register Now! If you have any questions, concerns, or would like to register over the phone, please contact Rachel Norton at 520-515-5478 or nortonr@cochise.edu.
MAP-21 Reauthorization Act Summary On Monday, May 12, 2014, the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW) released the MAP-21 Reauthorization Act (S. 2322), a multi-year reauthorization of federal surface transportation programs. Current law, the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), expires on September 30, 2014. EPW will markup the bill tomorrow, Thursday, May 15 at 9:30am. The bill includes: $265 billion for federal surface transportation programs for fiscal years 2015 through 2020. Funding for a national freight program for states. Metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) are included in varying capacities for designating and creating components of the freight network and national
strategic plan. Redesigned and new competitive grant programs, such as Projects of National and Regional Significance and American Transportation Awards, the latter of which MPOs are eligible to receive. Click HERE to read NARC’s summary of MPO-relevant sections of the bill; a detailed analysis is forthcoming. Click HERE to read NARC’s press release concerning the bill. Click HERE to read NARC’s summary of the Administration’s GROW AMERICA Act. Contact: Erich Zimmermann, Transportation Director, erich@NARC.org or 202.986.1032, x212
Courtesy: EfficientGov
The Department of Labor is making $100 million in existing H-1B funds available for American Apprenticeship Grants to reward partnerships that help more workers participate in apprenticeships. More →
Nogales takes bigger slice of produce imports From a story in the Nogales International |
Oranges led the way as the Nogales port of entry grew its share of Mexican produce imports this season, beating out competitors in South Texas and California. Local produce distributors imported 51 million pounds of the citrus fruit from September 2013 to April 2014, a rise of nearly 300 percent over the previous produce season, according to numbers released on Mondayby the Nogales-based Fresh Produce Association of the Americas, or FPAA. Seedless watermelon (78 percent) and cantaloupe (52 percent) were also big gainers. With thousands of trucks crossing the international border through Nogales each week, local produce distributors handled 4.2 billion pounds of produce this season, up 17 percent from the 3.6 billion pounds distributed in the previous season. By comparison, produce imports through Pharr and Progesso, Texas, stayed flat at 3.2 billion pounds, according to the press release. The next closest rival was Otay Mesa, Calif., which imported 1.1 billion pounds of produce.
Keep updated on the latest policy and research, success stories, best practices, highlights and event listings from the Economic Development Administration (EDA). CLICK HERE to subscribe to the Innovate@EDA Monthly Update!
The Turning Point Monthly, June 2014, page 5
The FPAA attributed the increase in Nogales’ share of Mexican produce imports partly to the infrastructure improvements at the Mariposa Port of Entry that have decreased wait times for trucks hauling proRead More ...
AzGATES Funding Alert: Social & Economic
House Appropriations Committee Approves FY2015 Agriculture Bill; Funds Rural Development at $2.6 Billion This week, the House Appropriations Committee approved their version of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 Agriculture Appropriations bill. The bill funds U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs at $20.9 billion for FY2015. Click here to view the full text of the legislation. Click here for the committee report.
Senate Appropriations Committee Approves FY2015 Agriculture Bill; Funds Rural Development at $2.4 Billion
Last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved its version of the fiscal year (FY) 2015 Agriculture Appropriations bill. The bill funds U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs at $20.5 billion for FY2015. Click here to view the full text of the legislation. Click here for the committee report.
NADO Sends Support Letter on Workforce Investment Act Reauthorization to Congress Last month, NADO sent a letter to Congress supporting the bipartisan deal to reauthorize the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-220), which expired in 2003. The new bill, entitled the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), reauthorizes federal workforce and training programs and sets recommended appropriations through fiscal year (FY) 2020. The bill must now be considered by both the full Senate and House. Click here to view a copy of NADO’s support letter. NADO legislative staff will continue to monitor the legislation and a member webinar briefing on the legislation is currently being planned.
NADO Research Foundation to Lead Webinar on Designing and Publishing Regional Plans Join the NADO Research Foundation on June 16 from 2 – 3:15 p.m. ET for a webinar to hear from three executive directors whose organizations have published their final regional plans as part of the HUD Sustainable Communities Initiative. Learn what strategies and techniques they embraced to create a readable, engaging document that will continue to shape the conversation about community and economic development and quality-oflife in their regions for years to come. Click here to register
NADO Research Foundation Webinar: Strengthening Regional Economic Resilience through Business Continuity Planning Join the NADO Research Foundation on June 17 from 2 – 3:15 p.m. ET for a free webinar, “Strengthening Regional Economic Resilience through Business Continuity Planning.” Gail Moraton, Business Resiliency Manager at the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS), will provide an overview of business continuity planning, discuss how RDOs and local leaders can support it in their regions, and share free tools available from IBHS. Timothy Malone of the Central Connecticut Regional Planning Agency will describe his work to coordinate a wide array of public and private partners and raise awareness of emergency preparedness and business continuity approaches for small and medium-sized businesses in central Connecticut. Click here to register. To read more on these NADO articles, click here
The Turning Point Monthly, June 2014, page 6
Renewable Energy for America Program Sponsor: Department of Agriculture Deadline: 7/7/14 Amount: $2,500-$500,000 Type: Environment, Agriculture, Social & Economic Grants are provided to agricultural producers and rural small businesses to purchase and install renewable energy systems or make energy efficiency improvements. The program is designed to help agricultural producers and rural small businesses reduce energy costs and consumption and help meet the Nation’s critical energy needs. Click here to learn more Tribal Community Wellness Centers: Serving Crime Victims’ Needs Sponsor: Department of Justice Deadline: 7/15/14 Amount: Up to $660,000 Type: Health, Social & Economic OVC will make up to three awards to tribes or tribal nonprofit organizations to develop and implement a victim-centered Community Wellness framework that extends beyond crisis victim assistance to meet the longer-term, complex needs of victims, survivors, and their families. The framework must include a Community Wellness Center that will offer, coordinate, or foster access to a continuum of resources and services that promote victim and community wellness, including a full range of intervention, treatment, health and wellness, prevention, educational and economic development, and cultural resources for the community. Click here to learn more National Child Welfare Capacity Building Center for Tribes Sponsor: Department of Health and Human Services Deadline: 7/22/14 Amount: $2-$2.5 million Health, Social & Economic, Public Safety This fund aims to improve child welfare systems and to support Tribes and States in achieving sustainable, systemic change that results in greater safety, permanency, and well-being for children, youth, and families. CBCT will serve as the focal point for coordinated and culturally competent training and technical assistance to title IV-B and title IV-E programs in American Indian and Alaska Native Nations. Click here to learn more
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Sierra Vista Area Chamber is preparing to launch its 16th Annual Leadership Sierra Vista program.
The Benson Visitor Center will be putting on a dedication to celebrate the completion of our historic railroad logos that were paid for by a grant from Union Pacific Railroad. The event will be on Friday June 27th at 10:00am. We plan to call the event “Benson’s Transportation Past, Present and Future”. Currently Cheri Shull is trying (through SEAGO) to connect our local BAT Transit with the other transit organizations in Cochise County which would be beneficial for tourism as well as local residents. The Benson Visitor Center will be selling Greyhound bus tickets (contingent on Council approval of the contract on June 9th.) Benson is currently an official AM-
I would like to give you a background of why we organized Pride Society. The town council decided to demolish the old Freiheit building on the corner where Spezia Square now stands. This was done within a couple of days without an abatement study for asbestos. The study cost the town a huge fine to get it cleaned up. There was talk of other old buildings to be torn down. Within a week about nineteen individuals met at my home to see what we could do to stop destroying what few buildings that were left. Pride Society was formed in 2001. Our group wanted us to be official, so the process began to obtain a 501 c 3 status and the paper work began. We were approved and then we started the process of becom-
TRAK stop. We recognize that SEAGO is Transportation Coordinator and primary planner for this region, and as such we are planning on a SEAGO presentation that explains how Benson could be the Transportation Hub for Cochise County. This will also benefit the whole County. Zoe Richmond from Union Pacific will be inviting Tucson and Cochise County U.P. people and I have contacted Michael Dwyer from AMTRAK and he will have some AMTRAK people there. I am also inviting our State and County elected officials as well as our Congressman. Let me know if you can think of anyone you think I should send an invitation to. I want this event to show Benson as a positive force at this event. Thanks for any help or suggestions you may have. ing a tax-exempt status and it was not fun dealing with the IRS. Finally I had to drop a few names such as McCain, Kyle, O’Connor and we were approved within a week. During this time the cleanup of Duncan began. One local contractor devoted his time and equipment to start hauling off the debris and that was Gerald White. Many other People joined in this effort and the results were amazing. Our first project was a tree line along the railroad which has made such a difference with it’s beauty. What can I say about Spezia Square except it is beautiful, town people love it and tourists always stop and get a photo of the beautiful corner. The beautiful flowerbeds, gazebo board walk and old Opera House facades add the final touch. Special Thanks to the brick cleaners and brick layers such as you. We are so fortunate to have Ron and Debbie Hileman to take care of the flower beds. So as you can see we stay very busy with Pride Society and will continue to help our community anyway that is needed.
The Turning Point Monthly, June 2014, page 7
Once a month the class members spend a day visiting a variety of local agencies and learning about subjects important to the overall well being of Sierra Vista and Cochise County. The experience includes a special leadership orientation and then an in-depth look at such diverse topics as Fort Huachuca, local government, health care, education, law enforcement, tourism and border issues. Join us as we strive to develop the future leaders of our community while providing additional skills and knowledge for individuals with the potential for advancement within their own organizations. Class size is limited and the application deadline is August 8, 2014. Click Here for Application! Sponsoring Leadership
NAACP Drive Will Win Trip to Laughlin In an effort to increase the membership of the Greater Huachuca Branch, NAACP we are issuing the following challenge to all who wish to participate: The person who recruits the most NEW members will win a FREE trip to Laughlin, Nevada! RULES and Conditions: 1. Memberships must be enrolled by 5:00 PM July 9th, 2014. 2. You must enroll at least two (2) new members to be eligible. 3. If you are not currently a member, you can include yourself in your total. 4. The winning trip includes transportation and lodging only. 5. The trip will take place on October 10th through the 13th, 2014 (Columbus Day weekend) 6. The winner will be announced at the NAACP meeting on July 12th.
Submit completed applications to: Ms. Berthe Simpson at: churchlady2@cox.net or call: (520) 459-4181 OR Tony Isom at: isom3@cox.net (520) 803-9437. Click here for flyer. Click here for application.
Success Notes - 3 Important Steps to Use Your Giveaways by Klaudia Kovacs | MySuccessConsultant.com
Promotional items and giveaways are one of the most powerful ways to introduce your business to your prospective clients and start building a relationship with them. These mar-
keting items have to be irresistible enough for people to want to come back for more.
troduce yourself and show them what you have to offer.
While this may be an unusual comparison, think of your freebees the same way, you would think of invitations or gifts during dating. When potential clients accept your giveaways, they are basically signaling that they might be interested in your services. While they are not ready to seal the deal yet, they give you a chance to in-
This is the time to be generous; after all who wants to go on a next date with someone stingy? If your valuable promotional items are attractive enough and meet the needs of your audience, they are likely to come back for your business. Click here to read more ...
Arizona’s 8-Man High School Football All-Stars Game Set for Duncan High School June 7th By Deborah Mendelsohn | simpsonhotel.com Forty-two of Arizona’s top 8-man high Duncan Schools Superintendent Eldon school football players will converge on Merrell noted, “There will also be a 5-on-5 Duncan June 5-7 for the annual Class 1-A passing tournament that will take place on State Football All-Stars Game, accompa- Saturday morning and early afternoon. This nied by their coaches and families. It is the tournament will consist of underclassmen first time that Duncan High School has from schools across the state preparing for hosted this prestigious event, and the town the upcoming football season. Any school plans to roll out a welcome. interested in attending can call the high school for more information.” The players, representing 16 high schools Duncan councilman Doug Barlow is across the state, will be assigned to two opposing teams. Practices will be held on spreading the word around town. “We Thursday and Friday before the game, can assume that most of these players and which is scheduled at 6:00 pm on Saturday, coaches and families will never have been June 7th, on the Duncan High School Field. to Greenlee County before, so we’re really The public is invited to observe the prac- looking forward to hosting them,” he said . “It’s a very big honor for Duncan.” tices as well as to attend the game.
Barlow continued: “We need more volunteers to cook and to run the concession stands. Anyone who wants to pitch in should call Dustie Robinette 909-2084623.” Superintendent Merrell convinced his fellow coaches three years ago to hold this year’s All-Stars Game in what is viewed as a remote corner of the state. He argued that Duncan High School was serious enough about its sports program to merit such recognition, and added that 2014 was the year his own twins, both football players, are graduating. Merrell’s amusing pitch to the coaches apparently worked. Players and their coaches and families will be traveling up to 12 hours to spend a weekend in Greenlee County.
SBA Launches Accelerator Competition to Award $2.5 Million for Small Business Startups
WASHINGTON –Today, Maria Contreras-Sweet, Administrator of the U.S. Small
Business Administration (SBA) announced that the SBA is launching a $2.5 million competition for accelerators and other entrepreneurial ecosystem models to compete for monetary prizes of $50,000 each. To award the prizes, an expert panel of judges will consider each applicant’s stated mission, founding team members and business goals among other core components. The
deadline for applying is August 2, 2014. The panel will give particular attention to, and the SBA encourages, applicants that fill geographic gaps in the accelerator and entrepreneurial ecosystem space. It is well known that the most successful accelerators to date were founded on the coasts. Read more ...
An interview with Laura M. Villa new SEAGO Ombudsman As a lifelong resident of Santa Cruz County and a graduate of Nogales High School (Apaches) life has always revolved around ‘home’. Villa comes from a very responsible and hard working family who make great efforts in achieving goals and never looking back at ‘what could have been’. Villa is mar-
ried and the proud mother of a ‘beautiful 9 year old son’. After working for a Home Health agency as a Customer Service representative for 8 years, responsible for the renting and selling of medical equipment. Villa realized that she was on the right career path. The Turning Point Monthly, June 2014, page 8
Seeking a greater challenged Villa moved on to be a Case Manager Assistant with Santa Cruz County under a grant through Read more ...